Apparatus for firing or discharging explosive projectiles.



F. P. AYLWIN.

APPARATUS FOR FIRING 0R DISCHARGING EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR-6| 916.

Patented Oct. 10, 1915.

q l \5} M E 47 7//// 69 4 a i A z 1 1 H n A WW w w 2 m k I FRANCIS P.AYLWIN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUSFOR FIRING OR DISCHARGING- EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Katented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed April 6, 1916. Serial No. 89,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS PERCIVAL AYLWIN, residing at 11 Haymarket,London, W England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inand Relating to Apparatus for Firing or Discharging ExplosiveProjectiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for discharging projectiles by meansof a pressure fluid such as compressed air and has for its object theprovision of an improved breech arrangement whereby the projectile isinserted in the side of the discharge tube or barrel in order that thefluid pressure reservoir may be directly attached at the end of suchbarrel and if necessary be formed as an extension of the same.

In theaccompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showingthe breech open. Fig. 2 is a section on the line yof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asection similar to Fig. 2 but showing the breech closed. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of thearrows, and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified construction.

The breech is formed by cutting out a pertion 100 of the side of thedischarge tube or barrel 1 at the rear end thereof, the cut away portionbeing surrounded by a sleeve 98 having an opening 99 therein whichcoincides with the cut away portion 100 of the barrel. when the breechis open, see Figs. 1 and 2,

while upon rotation of said sleeve a sliding block 101 acting as abreech closure is enabled to enter the cut away portion of the barrelunder the influence of springs 120 and take up the position shown inFig. 3.

i The sliding block 101 is provided with an operating handle 102 havinga pin 103 secured thereto and with an interrupted threaded portion orprojection 104 adapted to engage correspondingly threaded portions in aboss 105 formed on a recessed portion 106 of the sleeve 98 whichreceives the sliding block 101 when the breech is opened.

The sleeve is provided with stops 160 which are capable of partialrotation between stops 107 on the barrel 1 which limit the movement ofsaid sleeve and give definite open and closed positions of the sleevebreech. in order to secure a tight joint between the sleeve and thebarrel, recesses 108 are formed at each end of the sleeve adapted tocontain fibrous packing rin s or washers 109 while longitudinal stripsor packing 110 are also provided.

To enable the screwed projection 104 of the lever 102 to be adjusted sothat the screw threads may readily engage the threads 1n the boss 105,the pin 103 is screwed at its outer end 111 into the projection 104while its inner end is formed with a curved head 112 which is housed ina corresponding recess 118 formed in the block 101. In the top of theprojection 104 is a grub-screw 114 which when the screw threaded portion104 has been adjusted on the pin 103 serves to hold the portion 104 inits adjusted posi tion. To prevent the spindle 103 from turning the head112 is recessed to engage with a projection 115 in the recess 113.

instead of the sleeve making half a revolution on the outside of thebarrel between two definite stops, to register both the open and shutpositions, it may be made to slide on the barrel longitudinally betweentwo stops, thus giving both an open and shut position.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction or breech arrangement. In this casea sleeve 57 is employed having anopening therein which coincides with acut away portion of the discharge tube or barrel when the breech is openin a manner similar to that already described. To close the breech thesleeve 57 is given a partial rotation allowing a sliding block 58 toenter the cut away portion of coincide with the cut away portion of thebarrel 1 and allow the projectile 63 shown in dotted lines in Fi 4 to beloaded into the barrel 1 where it bears against a. pad 6% of indiarubber or like material. Packing rings 65 are utilized to secure a tightjoint between the sleeve 57 and the barrel 1 I claim 1. An apparatus fordischarging projectiles by means of fluid pressure comprising incombination a barrel having a breech opening in the side thereof towardthe rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn on said barrel over the portioncontaining said opening, and having an aperture for registering withsaid breech opening when loading, stop .means for defining the movementof said sleeve, and a block for closing said opening carried by saidsleeve, the limits of movement of said sleeve as defined by said stopmeans giving definite open and closedpositions relative to said breechopening.

2. An apparatus for discharging projec tiles by means of fluid pressurecomprising in combination a barrel having a breech opening in the sidethereof toward the rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn about said barrelat the portion containing said opening, stop means for defining themovement of said sleeve, and a block for closing said opening carried bysaid sleeve, the limits of movement of said sleeve defined by said stepmeans giving definite open and closed positions relative to said breechopening, said sleeve having an enlargement therein within which the saidblock slides, and having an aperture therein adapted to register withthe opening in the barrel forthe purpose of loading.

3. An apparatus for discharging projectiles by means of fluid pressurecomprising in combination a barrel having a breech opening in the sidethereof toward the rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn about said barrelat the portion containing said opening, stop means for defining themovement of said sleeve, and a block for closing said opening carried bysaid sleeve, the limits of movement of said sleeve defined by said stopmeans giving definite open and closed positions relative to; said breechopening, said sleeve having an opening therein to coincide with thebreech opening for the purpose of loading.

4:. An apparatus for discharging projectiles by means of fluid pressurecomprising in combination a barrel having a breech opening in the sidethereof toward the rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn about said barrelat the portion containing said opening and having an aperture thereinadapted to register with said breech opening for the purpose of loading.stop means for defining the movement of said sleeve, a block for closingsaid opening carried by said sleeve, the limits of movement of saidsleeve defined by said stop means giving definite open and closedpositions relative to said breech opening, and springs for forcing saidblock into the breech opening when the sleeve is in position to closethe breech.

5. An apparatus for discharging projectiles by means'of fluid pressurecomprising in combination, a barrel having a breech open ing in the sidethereof toward the rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn about said barrelat the portion containing said opening and having an aperture thereinadapted to register with said breech opening for the purpose of loading,stop means for defining the movement of said sleeve, a block for closingsaid opening carried by said sleeve, the limits of movement of saidsleeve defined by said stop means giving definite open and closedpositions relative to said breech opening, and a breech blocking gearcomprisinga pin connecting withsaid block, and anoperating handle fixedto said pin, said pin having an interrupted thread thereon and saidsleeve having corresponding threads thereon adapted to lock the breech.

6. An apparatus for discharging projectiles by means of fluid pressurecomprising in combination, a barrel having a breech opening in the sidethereof toward the rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn about said barrelat the portion containing said opening and having an aperture thereinadapted to register with said breech opening for the purpose of loading,stop means for defining the movement of said sleeve, a block for closingsaid opening carried by said sleeve, the limits of movement of saidsleeve de fined by said stop means giving definite open and closedpositions relative to said breech opening, and a breech blocking gearcomprising a pin connecting with the breech block, and an operatinghandle fixed to said pin, said pinhaving an interrupted thread thereonand said sleeve having corresponding threads thereon adapted to lock thebreech, said block having a recess therein, said pin having a curvedhead engaging in said recess, and a grub screw for adjusting therelation of said block to said pin.

7 Anapparatusfor discharging projectiles by means of fluid pressurecomprising in combination, a barrel having a breech opening-in the sidethereof toward the rear end, a sleeve mounted to turn about said barrelat the portion containing said opening and having an aperture thereinadapted to register with said breech opening for the purpose of loading,stop means for defining the movement of said sleeve, a block for closingsaid opening carried by said sleeve, the limits of movement of saidsleeve defined. by said stop means giving definite open and closedpositions to said breech opening, 00- In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature axial pressure packing rings carried by said in presence oftwo witnesses.

sleeve at each side of said breech opening, FRANCIS P. AYLWIN. andlongitudinal strips of packing between Witnesses:

the sleeve and the barrel to render the breech B. W. BOSANQUET,

air tight during the discharge of a projectile. A. R. J. RAMSEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0."

